The National Park Service (NPS) has approved for implementation at Indiana
Dunes National Lakeshore a Deer Management Plan which includes the use of
sharpshooters, NPS said in a statement released on Monday.

A Record of Decision (ROD) for the White-tailed Deer Management
Plan/Environmental Impact Statement for Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore was
signed by Regional Director Michael Reynolds on June 22, and NPS will
immediately implement the plan.

“The plan includes the reduction of the deer herd through sharpshooting by
trained professionals,” NPS said. “In rare occasions when sharpshooting is
not feasible, capture/euthanasia is authorized. The range of approved
actions also incorporates a combination of fencing and use of repellents to
protect rare plant populations or restoration areas.”

In general, the plan authorizes the National Lakeshore to take “appropriate
action as needed” to ensure that the deer population does not cause
unacceptable damage to the park’s ecosystem. “Damage to rare and endangered
species and other negative impacts caused by excessive deer population
compromise the purpose of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore to preserve the
exceptional biodiversity within the park,” NPS said.

The White-tailed Deer Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement
evaluated four possible management actions. Each alternative addresses the
potential environmental consequences for vegetation, soils and water
quality, white-tailed deer and deer habitat, other wildlife and wildlife
habitat, sensitive and rare species, archeological resources, cultural
landscapes, visitor use and experience, visitor and employee health and
safety, soundscapes, socioeconomic conditions, and National Lakeshore
management and operations. “The alternative approved (alternative D), was
selected because it will best protect, preserve, and enhance the natural
processes needed to maintain a viable deer population within the National
Lakeshore,” NPS said.

“Monitoring data in the east unit of the park has shown that deer numbers
need to be reduced, therefore sharpshooting to reduce deer numbers is
expected to begin this fall and winter,” NPS said. “Monitoring data is still
being gathered and analyzed for the west unit of the park. Monitoring
impacts of deer to vegetation will be collected every year and the timing or
intensity of management treatments will be adjusted using adaptive
management.”

A copy of the ROD is available online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/indu or
you can request a hard copy of the ROD from Randy Knutson, Wildlife
Biologist, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, 1100 North Mineral Springs
Road, Porter, IN 46304-1299